Manicotti

Ingredients

• 8 oz manicotti shells
• 24 oz whole milk ricotta (about 3 cups)
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese ((note that you will need another cup of cheese for the topping))
• 4 oz cream cheese (softened)
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 large egg
• 2 garlic cloves (pressed)
• 3 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley (plus additional for topping if desired (may substitute 1 Tablespoon dried parsley))
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon table salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 cups marinara sauce (homemade or store-bought (500ml))
• Additional fresh parsley or parmesan for garnish (optional)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 375F (190C). You will need a 13x9 casserole dish or similar sized dish for this recipe.

2. 2

   Cook pasta according to package instructions in well-salted water except reduce cooking time by 1 minute (I cook my manicotti shells for 6 minutes). Immediately drain and rinse well under cold water to stop the cooking process.

3. 3

   In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, cream cheese, parmesan, egg, pressed garlic, parsley, basil, oregano, salt and pepper and stir until thoroughly combined.

4. 4

   Transfer the filling to a large piping bag (this is ideal, but if you don’t have one a large ziploc bag with a small corner snipped or even a spoon will do the job).

5. 5

   Layer 1 cup of marinara sauce into the bottom of a 13x9 casserole dish.

6. 6

   Snip a hole in the end of the piping bag and pipe filling evenly into each manicotti.

7. 7

   Arrange manicotti in baking dish and cover with another cup of marinara sauce.

8. 8

   Top with mozzarella cheese. Lightly grease a piece of aluminum foil with butter or oil and cover the dish (greased side down!).

9. 9

   Transfer to center rack of 375F (190C) preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes, then carefully remove foil and continue to bake until cheese is melty and mixture is bubbly (about 10 minutes longer).

10. 10

    Remove from oven and serve warm, topped with fresh parsley or parmesan cheese, if desired.